Threaded ceiling hook with anti rotation washer

ABSTRACT

A ceiling hook (H) comprises a fastener (F) for anchoring in a support structure, and a locking ring in the form of an anti-rotation washer (W). The washer (W) includes anchoring teeth ( 34 ) for stationarily mounting the washer (W) to the ceiling. The hook member ( 12 ) and the washer (W) comprise co-operating locking ratchet elements ( 22, 28 ) for locking the fastener (F) to the washer (W) and thus preventing the fastener (F) from loosening from the ceiling. The washer (W) defines at a central opening ( 30 ) thereof at least one notch ( 32 ) with the fastener (F) defining at least one tab with ( 26 ), the notch ( 32 ) being slidable through the tab ( 26 ) for mounting the washer (W) to the fastener (F) and then allowing it to rotate between the tab ( 26 ) and the book member ( 12 ), whereby the washer (W) is prevented from being removed from the fastener (F) unless the tab ( 26 ) and notch ( 32 ) are aligned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to anchors and, more particularly, tothreaded anchors adapted to be secured to walls and ceilings forattaching an object thereto.

2. Description of the Prior Art

There exist various types of fasteners which are adapted to be engagedin walls or ceilings, for instance in boards made of gypsum whichgenerally constitute these walls and ceilings. Such fasteners may beused to mount various articles, such as picture frames, brackets, towalls or may be used, for instance, in the form of hooks which areengaged in ceilings for suspending articles therefrom, such as planthangers. Particularly in the case of fasteners secured to ceilings forsuspending items therefrom, it often happens that the items, such ashanging plants, rotate about a generally vertical axis, for instancewhen a plant is manually rotated in order to water it from differentsides. In these cases, the attachment of the hanging article to thefastener which often takes the form of a hook, may force the fastener torotate with respect to the ceiling along a direction which graduallyloosens, i.e. unscrews, the fastener which ultimately can disengage fromthe ceiling under the weight of the suspended article and this mayresult in damaged articles, messes and even injury.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an aim of the present invention to provide a new anchoradapted to be rotatably fastened to walls and ceilings and whichincludes a locking mechanism for preventing an easy unintended rotationthereof with respect to the walls or ceilings.

It is also an aim of the present invention to provide a new anchor inthe form of a hook especially adapted for rotatable engagement thereofby way of a threaded screw-like portion of the anchor to a ceiling forsuspending articles therefrom.

Therefore, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided afastener for anchoring in a support structure in combination with alocking unit for substantially preventing the fastener from accidentallyloosening from the support structure, comprising a first member adaptedto be inserted in the support structure for firmly anchoring saidfastener thereto and also comprising a second member adapted to belocated externally of the support structure, said locking unit includinganchoring means for stationarily mounting said locking unit to thesupport structure, said second member and said locking unit comprisingco-operating locking elements for locking said fastener to said lockingunit and thus preventing said fastener from loosening from the supportstructure.

Also in accordance with the present invention, there is provided amethod for securing a fastener to a support structure and substantiallypreventing the fastener from accidentally loosening from the supportstructure, comprising providing a fastener adapted to be partly insertedin the support structure for firmly anchoring the fastener thereto;providing a locking unit and stationarily mounting said locking unit tothe support structure; and providing means for locking said fastener tosaid locking unit for preventing said fastener from accidentallyloosening from the support structure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Having thus generally described the nature of the invention, referencewill now be made to the accompanying drawings, showing by way ofillustration a preferred embodiment thereof, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of an anchor in accordance with thepresent invention shown in the form of a ceiling hook;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a fastener of the ceiling hook ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the fastener of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the fastener of FIG. 2 but shownfrom an opposite side thereof;

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the ceiling hook of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the ceiling hook of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of an anti-rotation washer of the ceiling hookof FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is an elevational view of the washer of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the anchor of FIG. 1;

FIG. 10 a top plan view of the anchor of FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 a perspective view of another anchor in accordance with thepresent invention, also shown in the form of a ceiling hook;

FIG. 12 is a side elevational view of the anchor of FIG. 11; and

FIG. 13 is a top plan view of the anchor of FIG. 11.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In accordance with the present invention, FIGS. 1, 9 and 10 illustrate aceiling hook H which includes two components, namely a threaded fastenerF and an anti-rotation washer W which are respectively illustrated indetail in FIGS. 2 to 6 and 7 and 8.

Now referring to FIGS. 2 to 6, the threaded fastener F comprises athreaded member 10 in the form of a screw and a hook member 12 securelymounted to the threaded member 10. The threaded member 10 includesthreads 14 which are particularly adapted for secure anchoring in gypsumboards which are typically found in the constructions of walls andceiling. Obviously, the threads 14 may be differently configured such asto comply receiving materials other than gypsum. The hook member 12includes an upper disc-like member 16 and an integral hook 18 extendingdownwardly therefrom. The disc member 16 includes an upper surface 20with a pair of diametrically opposed ratchet teeth 22 extending upwardlytherefrom, as best seen in FIGS. 2, 3 and 6.

The threaded member 10 includes a lower circular head 24 which isprovided with a pair of diametrically opposed, radially extending,elongated tabs 26 which are slightly spaced apart from the upper surface20 of the disc member 16 of the hook member 12, as best seen in FIG. 3.

Now turning to FIGS. 7 and 8, the anti-rotation washer has a generallyannular shape with a series of successively arranged ratchet tongues 28being provided along the outer periphery thereof. The washer W defines acentral opening 30 which is generally circular in shape except for apair of diametrically opposed notches 32. Between the central opening 30and the ratchet tongues 28, the washer W defines a number of upwardlyextending anchoring teeth 34 of pointed configuration and which are, inthe illustrated embodiment, in the number of four (4) equallydistributed along the washer W and have been defined by stamping cuttingthe washer W and folding the teeth 34 until they extend substantiallyperpendicularly to the general plane of the washer W.

To assemble the washer W to the threaded fastener F, the threaded member10 of the fastener F is inserted through the central opening 30 of thewasher w such that the pointed anchoring teeth 34 of the washer W extendin a same direction as the threaded member 10. The washer W is broughtinto contacting engagement with the upper surface 20 of the fastener Fby aligning the notches 32 of the washer W with the tabs 26 of the head24 of the threaded member 10. If such an alignment is not made, thewasher will be prevented from reaching the upper surface 20 by the tabs26.

Then, the washer W is rotated clockwise (when viewed from above inFIG. 1) relative to the fastener F to cause a disalignment between thetabs 26 and the notches 32 thereby preventing disengagement of thewasher W from the fastener F. It is understood that the thickness of thewasher W inwardly of the anchoring teeth 34 thereof is less than thespacing between the tabs 26 and the upper surface 20; indeed, this isrequired in order to allow the washer W to be below the tabs 26 when thewasher W rests on the upper surface 20 thereby allowing the washer W tobe rotated with respect to the fastener F.

When the washer W is rotated along the upper surface 20 and below thetabs 26, its ratchet tongues 28 ride along the ratchet teeth 22 providedon the upper surface 20.

Once the washer W is properly mounted to the fastener F as describedhereinabove, the ceiling hook H is ready to use. To install the ceilinghook H in a supporting structure such as a gypsum board of a ceiling,the ceiling hook H is held by the hook member 12 and the pointed end ofthe fastener F is slightly translationally inserted in the gypsum of theceiling and the hook H is then rotated about an axis of the threadedmember 12 such that the threads 14 engage the ceiling in a conventionalmanner. The hook H must be rotated until the washer W contacts thevisible surface of the ceiling.

Before the ratchet tongues 28 reach the ceiling, the pointed raisedanchoring teeth 34 of the washer W perforate the gypsum ceiling andbecome engaged therein, whereby any subsequent rotation of the fastenerF is effected without the washer W following; in other words, once theanchoring teeth 34 of the washer W have engaged the ceiling, the washerW cannot rotate and can only translationally displace towards theceiling as being forced in that direction by the disc member 16 uponfurther rotation of the fastener F. Once the anchoring teeth 34 have soengaged the ceiling and the fastener F has been further rotated up toits ratchet teeth 22 contacting the ratchet tongues 28 of the washer W,the continued rotation of the fastener F is done with the ratchet teeth22 riding along the underside of the ratchet tongues 28 of the washer Wuntil the fastener F cannot be further rotated which occurs when theupper surface 20 is in firm abutting engagement with the washer W whichitself bears firmly against the visible surface of the ceiling.

In this position, it is readily understood that the fastener F cannotloosen with respect to the ceiling, i.e. it cannot rotatecounterclockwise, as it is prevented from counter rotating by the lockedengagement of the ratchet teeth 22 of the fastener F with the ratchettongues 28 of the washer W in concert with the fact that the washer W isitself stationary as being anchored to the ceiling in view of itsanchoring teeth 34 being engaged in the ceiling.

It is noted that a pair of ratchet teeth 22 are preferably provided onthe fastener F in order to ensure that, in the event that the fastener Fis inserted in the ceiling in a slightly crooked way (i.e. the axis ofthe threaded member 10 is not perpendicular to the receiving surface ofthe ceiling), at least one ratchet teeth 22 lockably is engaged to theratchet tongues 28 of the washer W. In other words, if for one reason oranother, one of the ratchet teeth 22 can rotate freely, i.e. away fromthe ratchet tongues 28 of the washer W, the other ratchet teeth 22 willengage in ratchet fashion these tongues 28 and ensure that the fastenerF is rotatably locked to the washer W such as to prevent the fastener Ffrom counter rotating with respect thereto thereby preventing thefastener F from loosening from the ceiling.

Therefore, the ceiling hook H of the present invention is prevented fromaccidentally loosening due to gradual rotation of the article suspendedtherefrom which may be done to, for instance, water a plant sosuspended, or even due to manual rotations of the hook for adjusting theorientation thereof.

As an alternative to the above-described and herein illustratedembodiment, the anti-rotation locking washer W, or a similar unit),could be directly installed in the ceiling rather than being firstassembled to the fastener F, for instance by pressing the washermanually towards the ceiling such as to drive the anchoring teeth 34into the ceiling's gypsum board; then the fastener F may be positionedin the central opening 30 of the washer W and subsequently rotatablyinserted in the ceiling. Once the disc member 16 is close enough to theceiling and thus to the washer W, its ratchet teeth 24 will engage theratchet tongues 28 of the washer W and ride therealong until thefastener F tightly imprisons the washer W against the ceiling at whichpoint, as described hereinabove, the fastener F is prevented fromloosening by the locking engagement of its ratchet teeth 22 with theratchet tongues 28 of the washer W which itself is held stationary bybeing secured to the ceiling by its anchoring teeth 34.

In such a case where the washer W is mounted manually to the ceiling,that is without using the fastener F, the washer W could be made withoutits notches 32 and the fastener F could be exempt of its tabs 26. Thecentral opening 30 could also be provided with a guide to align, i.e.concentrically position, the washer W with the location on the ceilingat which the fastener F will be subsequently inserted; such a guidecould take the form of a yieldable transparent sheet extending acrossthe opening 30 and defining a pair of orthogonal sighting linesintersecting at the center of the washer such that the center of thewasher could be positioned at the intended location of the fastener.

FIGS. 11 to 13 show a variant ceiling hook H′ which is similar to theceiling hook H of FIGS. 1 and 9 except that it does not include theanti-rotation washer W thereof. The ceiling hook H′ thus includes aunitary component, namely a threaded fastener F′.

The threaded fastener F′ is similar to the threaded fastener F of FIGS.1 and 9, except that it does not include the ratchet teeth 22 and thetabs 26 thereof as they are not necessary to the ceiling hook H′ as theyare only functional when the fastener of the present invention is usedwith the anti-rotation washer W, or the like.

What is claimed is:
 1. A fastener for anchoring in a support structurein combination with a locking unit for substantially preventing thefastener from accidentally loosening from the support structure, thefastener comprising; a first member adapted to be inserted in thesupport structure for firmly anchoring said fastener thereto; and asecond member adapted to be located externally of the support structure;wherein said locking unit is mounted to said fastener and includes atleast one anchoring element for stationanly engaging said locking unitto the support structure; and wherein said second member and saidlocking unit comprise co-operating locking elements for locking saidfastener to said locking unit and thus prevent said fastener fromaccidentally loosening from the support structure.
 2. The combination ofclaim 1, wherein said locking unit comprises a locking ring havinganchoring teeth adapted to extend into the support structure, saidlocking ring being mounted to said fastener such as to be sandwichedbetween said second member and the structure when said fastener isfirmly secured thereto.
 3. The combination of claim 1, wherein saidco-operating locking elements comprise at least one first ratchet toothprovided on one of said second member and said locking unit and a seriesof second ratchet teeth provided on the other of said second member andsaid locking unit.
 4. The combination of claim 3, wherein said secondmember comprises a pair of diametrically opposed first ratchet teeth forco-operating with said series of second ratchet teeth provided on saidlocking unit such that said second ratchet teeth ride along said firstratchet teeth upon rotation of said fastener and with said locking unitbeing anchored to the support structure.
 5. The combination of claim 2,wherein said locking ring defines at a central opening thereof at leastone notch, said fastener defining at least one tab with said notch beingslidable through said tab for mounting said locking ring to saidfastener and between said tab and said second member thereof whereatsaid locking ring can rotate around said fastener, whereby said lockingring is prevented from being removed from said fastener unless said taband said notch are aligned.
 6. A fastener for anchoring in a supportstructure in combination with a locking unit for substantiallypreventing the fastener from accidentally loosening from the supportstructure, the fastener comprising: an anchor member adapted to beinserted in the support structure for firmly anchoring said fastenerthereto; and a hook adapted to be located externally of the supportstructure; wherein said locking unit is mounted to said fastener andincludes at least one anchoring element for stationarily engaging saidlocking unit to the support structure; wherein locking elements areprovided for locking said fastener to said locking unit and thus preventsaid fastener from accidentally loosening from the support structure;and whereby said fastener, with said locking unit mounted thereto, canbe installed in the support structure by hand.
 7. The combination ofclaim 6, wherein said locking unit comprises a locking ring havinganchoring teeth adapted to extend into the support structure, saidlocking ring being mounted to said fastener such as to be sandwichedbetween said hook and the structure when said fastener is firmly securedthereto.
 8. The combination of claim 6, wherein said co-operatinglocking elements comprise at least one first ratchet tooth provided onone of said hook and said locking unit and a series of second ratchetteeth provided on the other of said hook and said locking unit.
 9. Thecombination of claim 8, wherein said hook comprises a pair ofdiametrically opposed first ratchet teeth for co-operating with saidseries of second ratchet teeth provided on said locking unit such thatsaid second ratchet teeth ride along said first ratchet teeth uponrotation of said fastener and with said locking unit being anchored tothe support structure.
 10. The combination of claim 7, wherein saidlocking ring defines at a central opening thereof at least one notch,said fastener defining at least one tab with said notch being slidablethrough said tab for mounting said locking ring to said fastener andbetween said tab and said hook thereof whereat said locking ring canrotate around said fastener, whereby said locking ring is prevented frombeing removed from said fastener unless said tab and said notch arealigned.
 11. A fastener for anchoring in a support structure incombination with a locking unit for substantially preventing thefastener from accidentally loosening from the support structure,comprising: a first member adapted to be inserted in the supportstructure for firmly anchoring said fastener thereto; and a secondmember adapted to be located externally of the support structure, saidlocking unit including at least one anchoring element for stationarilymounting said locking unit to the support structure, said second memberand said locking unit comprising co-operating locking elements forlocking said fastener to said locking unit and thus preventing saidfastener from accidentally loosening from the support structure saidlocking unit comprising a locking ring having anchoring teeth adapted toextend into the support structure, said locking ring being adapted to bemounted to said fastener such as to be sandwiched between said secondmember and the structure when said fastener is firmly secured thereto,said locking ring defining at a central opening thereof at least onenotch, said fastener defining at least one tab with said notch beingslidable through said tab for mounting said locking ring to saidfastener and between said tab and said second member thereof whereatsaid locking ring can rotate around said fastener; and whereby saidlocking ring is prevented from being removed from said fastener unlesssaid tab and said notch are aligned.
 12. The combination of claim 11,wherein said co-operating locking elements comprise at least one firstratchet tooth provided on one of said second member and said lockingring and a series of second ratchet teeth provided on the other of saidsecond member and said locking ring.
 13. The combination of claim 12,wherein said second member comprises a pair of diametrically opposedfirst ratchet teeth for cooperating with said series of second ratchetteeth provided on said locking ring such that said second ratchet teethride along said first ratchet teeth upon rotation of said fastener andwith said locking ring being anchored to the support structure.
 14. Amethod for securing a fastener to a support structure and substantiallypreventing the fastener from accidentally loosening from the supportstructure, comprising the steps of: providing a fastener; providing alocking unit; mounting said locking unit to said fastener such that saidlocking unit can rotate about said fastener; rotating said fastener withsaid locking unit mounted thereto, into the support structure such as tosecure said fastener thereto, and causing said locking unit to fixedlyengage the support structure; and further rotating said fastener atleast until said fastener is locked to said locking unit in such a wayas to prevent said fastener from loosening from the support structure.